The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-31
THOUGHTS FROM THE PULPIT
Prof. Jordan's Interesting Address Last
Evening on professional Honor"
Close Of the First Years Work Of the In
diana Auxiliary to the McAll Mission
christianity in Japan.

-CUTlStldHlbF Ill Jdpdu
Prof David S. Jordan. president Of the State |
University, spoke at Plymouth Church, last |
night, his theme being professional Honor"
He drew clear distinction between higher edu |
cation and further education. The feeling of
professional honor leads its possessor to give his
powers only to the accomplishment of worthy
ends and to do only that which is genuine to keep
his name untarnshed by any faint of pretense or
sham. He thought that in the ministry should be
found in the highest degree feeling of profession
al honor, but that here, skill talents and even
the name Of Christ are used for mean selfish
ends There are many clergymen who are moth
ing il not sensational: who speak. rot for the
glory of God, but for the glory of themselves
Middle aged men are seen parading as ooy-evan-
gelsts. winning money and notoriety by their
antics in the name of Christ, and professional
sensationalsts engaged in tickling the multitude
by travesty in barroom slang of the words OF
Jesus Christ There are men who talk of faith,
honor and piety on Sunday and on Monday con-
tract debts which they never intend to pay.
Greatness of mind rarely goes with baseness of
soul. The age of the soul is not measured by
years. but by the fading of ambitions. To some
men, old age never comes. 1t never came to
Agassz. To Bryant, the frosted locks of eighty
years went with the "Indian summer Of the
heart" No man can be thorough rascal until
he has gotten rid of all dreams and
ideals, ard when these are gone,
no man can be anything else
ITO me-" said Professor Jordan, illustrating
the thought of having faith in mankind, there
is nothing in all literature more terrible than
Hawthornes story of Young Goodman Brown
Young Goodman Brown came forth at sunset
into the street of Salem village. and put his
head back after crossing the threshold to OK
change parting Kiss with his young wife
Faith, and Faith thrust her own pretty head out
into the street, letting the wind play with the
pink ribbons of her cap, while she called to
Goodman Brown to come back again and pass
| the night in his own home But Goodman
| Brown had reasons of his own for beginning his
journey at nghtfall, and he went his way,
seeing still the head Of Faith peeping at him
| with melancholy air in spite of her pink rib
| bous. He travelled on till he came into the deep
| woods where he was joined by man in grave
| and decent attire, who had been sitting at the
foot of an old tree. This grave and thoughtful
| old gentleman the devil in one OF his many
DISCUSSES, and of all his protean forms this one
| often suits his purpose best In those days
| there was witchcraft in the Salem woods. As
/ he went on into the growth all the good people
Goodman Brown had known were exhibited to
him by his companion, not as the good and
| the true which he had thought them to be, but
| as engaged in secret wickedness in the shade OF
the deep woods. There was Goody Cloyse, who
had taught him the carechism walking to the
| companonship of witches. There was the min
| lister and Deacon Gookin, the two most pious
men that he knew, and, lastly, to crown all,
came the figure of his wife Faith, in her pink
ribbons; Goody, rampant bag who promised to
| be queen of hell. Here exclaimed the grave
and decorous man who led Goodman Brown to
this communion of evil spirits, here are all
whom you have revered from your youth. You
deemed them hoier than yourself and free from
your own sin, contrasting 1T with their lives OF
righteousness and pray erful aspirations heaven
ward Yet here they all are in my worshipine
temple This night it shall be granted you tc
know their secret deeds. Depending on one an
others hearts ye had still hoped that virtue were
not all dream. Now ye undeceived Evl
is the nature of mankind; evil must be your only
happiness And so on through the whole horrio
| ceremonial. until at last young Goodman Brown
attempting to escape. staggered against rock
and felt it chilly and damp. while hanging twiG
above him despatched his cheek with dew.
Next morning Goodman Brown came slowly
into Salem village. staring around him like I
bewidered The good old minister was
taking walk along the graveyard to mediate
his sermon, and bestowed blessing, as h'
passed, on Goodman Brown. who shrank from tn
miserable saint, as II to avoid an anathema. Olt
| Deacon Gookin was at domestic worship and thu
holy words of his prayer were heard through thu
open window. What God does this wizard pra!
TO! SAID GOODMAN Brown. Goo0y Cloyso, ina
excellent old Christian, stood in the early sun
shine at her own lattice, questioning the littl
girl who had brought her a pint of morning
milk. Goodman Brown snatched away the child
as from the grasp of the fiend. Turning the cor
ner by the meeting house, he spied the head o
Faith, with the pink ribbons gazing anxiousl,
forth and bursting into such JOY at sight OF hin
that she skipped along the stree
aid almost kissed her husband before the Who'll
village. But Goodman Brown looked sternl
and sadly into Der face and passed without
greeting Had Goodman Brown fallen asleep il
the forest and only dreamed a wild dream o
witch meeting2 Be it so, if you will, but alas, i
was a dream of evil for young Goodman Brown
! A stern sad, darkv meditative man did h
become. On the Sabbath when the congrega
ton was singing holy psalm he could not liste
because the anthem of sin rushed on his ear an
drowned all the pleasant strain. When tn
minister spoke from the pulpit with power an
fervid eloquence, with his hand upon the ope
Bible of holy lives and triumphant deaths. the
did Goodman Brown, turning pale dread les
the roof should thunder down on the gray bias
phemer and his hearers And when he had live
long and was borne to the grave they carved n
peaceful phrase upon his tombstone for his las
end was gloom"
II The McAn Mission In Indiana.